The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-03-15
RAILROAD LEGISLATION.
The Speech OF Representative
Buckner of Saline On House
Bill G2O.


go. Which was defeated in the
house OF Tuesday last:
Mr.. Buckner said:
"Mr. Speaker 1T has been assert
ed on the floor of the house, frequent
ly, during the discussion of this bill,
that the substitute bill is inimical to
the interests Of the masses of the
people OF this state that if this bill be
adopted it would put an end to rail-
way legislation during The present
session If there has been an argu.
ment made in support of that position
l have not heard il !; aud | want each
member to whom that assertion has
been made TO ask himself why should
the adoption of the substitute bill de-
feat or impede railway legislation If
that bill prove ~ be in the interest of
the people of the state, and it be sub.
stituted for bill $40, why may it not
be as readily passed to engroSsment
and to final adoption by this house as
the original bill? | undertake TO say
that it is possible, if the house were in
the proper frame of mind, to adopt
the substitute bill and to engrOSs it,
before it is possible to adopt and en-
gross bill $40. Ii is possible TO do it
as much sooner as it would require
after the rejection of the substitute
bill to place house bill go upon its
passage for engrnssment.
| profess, Mr. Speaker, to be de-
sirous of forwarding railroad legisla-
ton at this session. | claim To re-
present constituency which is cry
ing as loudly for railway legislation
and railway reform a. any people in
the state and | conceive that | best
discharge my duties to those people by
voting for the b II which | thins does
them the most good. i repeat what |
have said before on the floor of this
house, and what ! expect to- assert
every time | discuss This question;
that if in the judgment of this house
the substitute bill be rejected, then |
will vote for the adoption OF the origin
al bill go in order that it may be
passed to engrOssment without delay.
Other parties have asserted that we
must accept the bill which the COM
miItee Oh internal improvements have
presented to this house, or else they
will vote against the substitute bill,
thereby holding over this house the
threat, that unless YOU DO adopt the
original bill you shall not have the
opportunity of adopting any other.
Tell me, Mr.. Speaker, if when the
committee on internal improvements
was appointed, this house abdicated its
power concerning railway legislation ?
| do not believe in any such assertion,
and | will tell you frankly where |
believe that impression originated II
There is a newspaper published on the
Western border of the state, the editor
of which is not unknown to railway
legislative fame in this state. That |
paper, actuated by what interest or by |
what motive, in what interest and |
upon consideration know not, under |
took TO force the legislature of this
state into the adoption of measures
which 1t honestly or dishonesty as
serted to be right If any member
lifted his voice no the floor of this
house to express his own convictions
concerning the Interests OF the people
he represented, he was met OH the
floor Of this house and on the streets
of this city with the charge of dis
honesty ami corruption. The editor
OF that paper has assumed To himself
the right to PREJUDICE the morals of
each member of this house, and tO say
such member possesses high
standard of integrity or not.
ask every member of this house when the
to pass Judgment upon the
ami nIsinteresledne>> OF this
dictator Of men and
morals, 20 iook at the report of the
appointed by a previous
legislature OF this STATE. ask him To-
turn to page 81 OF the report of the
appointed to investigate
the means by which the Hannibal n
ST. Joe renewal bond hilI was passed
1t a previous session OF Ihis general J
assembly,. On that page this most
-ighteousjudge, this professional black
mailer. this Shylock IN business, this
PhariSee ia religion, this Judas in
this mougrei, who l. with
ut the pride of ancestry or the nope
# posterity, acknowledged under oath
hat he had been fighting the Hauni-
'al d st. Joe railroad bill, and that for
2 500 in gold paid TO him, he in the
next issue of his paper eSpoussd the
cause Ofthe bill and thereby stultified
HIMSELF ia the eyes OF all honest men.
ell Inc that this man. or his mercen-
~ and Matchmaking sheet, have the